Cutting apparatus for mowers, reapers, or the like.



' my. mama Pmmusept. '2, i902.

E.A.JOHNST'QN. CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MOWERS,

'REAPERS, 08 THE LIKE.

(No Model.) 4

(Application filed July 10, 1902.)

M others skilled in the art to which it appertains 25 lication, wherein- .y bwien .titttsmtt'j cr ket;

Asaairtnvro'remains;

' HARVESTING'M-A-QHLNE GOllIRANTr-gfld ,cuIoAco, ILLINOIS;

AERAtQ-s ow; R's; .R AP' 'Rs em EULJIK'E- 1 f '-sr emcamn"statetat cf Lette Patent 'ivofir'os ev, datetisei t iater'e, 1902,

.,. Application iilcgl d'ulylQ 1902. I

To all whom it mwy concern: a i Be it known that I, Enwannr-l. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing atGhi- I cago, county'of Cook, State of Illinois, have 5 invented certain new-and useful-Improve ments iii Cutting Apparatus for Mowers, Reapers, or the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a-full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable to make and use the same.

The invention relates to the construction of the clips by means of which the cutters of mowers, reapers, dad, are held down in close [*5 working contact with the ledger-plates on the guard-fingers; and the object in View is to provide an improved construction of clip that will hold the cutters down with an elastic pressure bearing well forward of the cutterbar, so as to prevent the grass, the, from getting under the cutters and raising their forward edges out of contact with the plates. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speci- Figure 1 is, a plan view of a portion of a finger-bar, showing one of my clips in operation.' Fig. 2- is a cross-section on the lineal l. Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the cutters to go which the clips are applied; and Fig. l is a perspective olf the Iingerol the clip, the same being turned over, so as to show the construction better. I

Referring to the views, the cutterbar a,-the 3 5 cutters a, the linger-bar b, -the guard-lingers c, and the base-plate (Z of the clip are of the usual construction and arrangement. The base-plate dis provided, as usual, with a lip 2 along its front edge, that overhangs the rear 40 edge of the cutters and is bolted down on the finger-bar in the ordinary manner.

All the above is the usual and ordinary arrangement; but in the present invention the plate is provided at its rear edge about cen-. trally ofits length with a rigid upstanding post f. This post constitutes the pivot of the finger g of the clip, which is arigid finger, preferably constructed as shown in detail in Figitwhere it will be seen that it has two rearwardly extendingears or lugs'h 71, which are provided with openings 6, whereby itis adapted tofit over and oscillate in ahorizontai plane SeriatNmIIdOZZ. inmates, A l

on and around the [)lVOli-POSiQ/Of the-plate 1(- is provided on its under side at this point with a nib or lug k, which lits into a t'oreand-aft groove or depression Z,'lTor1ned in the cutter a. As will be understood, the linger g/ is adapted to oscillate freely on the pivotpost of the clip, and the engagement between the front end of the finger and the cutter just described causes the latter-in its reciprocating movements to oscillate the linger sidewise back and' 'orth, the groove in the cutter being long enough to allow the necessar play of the lug r-. As thus l'ar described the clip-linger would only hold the cutterdowu in the ordinary way but in order tomake it bear down with an elastic pressure on the fore part of the cutter I set a short coil-spring IIL over the pivot-pin 1', between the lower lug 72/01 the finger and a washer n, which is' slipped over the upper end of. the pin below the upper car It and which is held to the pin by a cotter p. This spring reacts between the lug h of the finger and the washer n and tends constantly to hold the whole finger down, there being sufficient play between the washer andthe upper lug tor the spring to press the finger low enough always to bear on the cutter and allow for some wear. As before stated, the finger itself isrigid; but it is yieldingly and elastically held down 'by the spring in, which is coiled around the pin on which the finger-pivots, so as to offer the least possible resistance to the oscillating movement of the finger. Consequently there is little or no tendency to wear out the spring or for crystallization to set up in it and weaken it, and the finger is made stout enough to stand all the strains to which it would be subjected in use. The construc tion is therefore strong and simple and capable of Wear for a long time. j

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is+ 1. A spring-clip for the cutting apparatus of mowers, reapers, and the like, comprising a base-plate having a vertical pivot-post, a

' at its rear end bymeans of which it is pivoted on the post so as to oscillate 'freely, and a spring coiled around the post between the ears and reacting between the post and the lower ear to hold the finger down so'that its forward end which projects over the cutter is held elastically down thereon.

3. A spring-clip for the cut-ting apparatus of mowers, reapers, and the like, comprising a base-plate having a vertical pivot-post, a rigid finger pivoted upon said post and extending forward over the cutter and free to oscillate therewith, a washer on the pivot-pin, and a coiled spring reacting between the washer and the finger to hold the front end of the latter down elastically on the cutter.

4;. A spring-clip for the cutting apparatus of mowers, reapers and the like, comprising va base-plate d, having a vertical post f, a

rigid finger g pivoted on said post to oscillate freely and having its front end extending forward and bearing down on the cutter, and a spring m coiled around the post, the finger or projection nits forward end, and a groove or depression formed in the cutter into which the.nib engages so that the finger is oscillated .by the reciprocations of the cutter.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON.

, \Vitnesses:

CHAS. N. CHAMBERS; ,GHA-s. W; ALLEN. 

